da poker： A red card took away any hopes of a U.S. goal explosion, but their performance after the dismissal wasn't very good either.
da betsson： In the end, it wasn't jubilation but relief. The U.S. men's national team are heading back to the Copa America, winners of a tie against Trinidad & Tobago that also gets them back to the Nations League semifinals. Job done, mission accomplished… all of that stuff.
That wasn't the vibe on Monday night, though. Instead it was one of frustration and, in one case, embarrassment as the U.S. did plenty to make the job harder than it had to be.
Sergino Dest's red card was a moment of madness, one that could have derailed the USMNT's hopes. In the end, it didn't, even if T&T did win 2-1 against a 10-man USMNT side that certainly had its share of struggles.
The end result was achieved, but not in the way anyone would have wanted as Dest was one of several U.S. players to have an off night.
With that said, GOAL takes a look at the USMNT's winners and losers from Monday's match…
GettyLOSER: Sergino Dest
Probably one of the most boneheaded moments in USMNT history, and that may be putting it lightly.
With his team up 4-0 on aggregate and with one foot in the Copa America, Sergino Dest just couldn't shut his mouth. Complaining to a referee is never worth it, doubly so when the tie is already in hand. To get yourself sent off in that scenario? Absolutely baffling.
Dest may or may not have had a point about a missed call earlier in the sequence. We're all human. Sometimes, players take silly yellow cards in frustration when a big call gets missed. That we can understand.
But to get sent off for blowing kisses at the ref? To kick a ball into the stands for no real reason? To talk and talk and talk so much that your own teammates have to scream at you to just shut your mouth? To get sent off on the road in a tie that is already settled, giving your teammates more work to do?
It was selfish, stupid and immature, and it's a moment of madness that could haunt Dest for some time.
AdvertisementGettyWINNER: Antonee Robinson
We used the Jedi joke last time, but the force is only getting stronger with the Fulham star.
After scoring in his return last game, Robinson got another this time around, heading home a Dest cross for his fourth international goal. There was no crazy backflip this time, but a baby celebration that will certainly feel a bit more meaningful.
Dest's red card changed the trajectory of the game, but, prior to that, Robinson was giving the Soca Warriors fits. After the red card, Robinson was relatively steady, helping the U.S. hold onto a result that shouldn't have been in doubt.
It was, though, at least for a little bit. What isn't in doubt, though, is the defender's place as he remains the go-to starter at left-back.
GettyLOSER: Matt Turner
He hasn't messed up many times in a USMNT shirt, but he did in this one.
Turner will definitely want T&T's second goal back, to say the least. Alvin Jones' long-range shot was hit with power, sure, but Turner let it slip right through his hands. It was a borderline howler, one that Turner definitely should have saved.
Normally, this wouldn't be reason for concern. Mistakes happen, and the USMNT will be glad this one came in a tie that was effectively already decided. If there's a good time for Turner to let one in, this probably was it.
Still, with his issues at Nottingham Forest hanging over all of this, it makes the mistake a bit more meaningful. Turner faces a fight to get back into the team on club level, and letting in a softie on the international level won't help in that regard.
Turner's USMNT place is still safe, there's no doubt about that. However, it wasn't the type of performance he needed with everything else going on.
Getty ImagesWINNER: Yunus Musah
By just starting, Muash made history.
With his appearance, Musah became the most-capped U-21 player in USMNT history, beating out the likes of Landon Donovan, Christian Pulisic and Jozy Altidore for the honor. We all know how those guys ended up: with legendary status, or, in Pulisic's case, on the way there.
That's all to say that Musah is off to a hell of a start and, on Monday, he showed why he is and will continue to be so key for the U.S.
Musah was among the USMNT's best players on the field, routinely making his presence felt in midfield. His game continues to evolve, but this match saw several moments of what we'll call old-school Musah, even though he's still just 20. Musah's biggest skill has always been his ability to drive at opponents with the ball at his feet, and we saw that a few times in this one.
He's growing so much at Milan, developing the defensive instincts that could make him a legitimate star. We saw those on display, too, after the half when the U.S. needed to just take the sting out of the game a bit.
Just 20, Monday was a reminder of just how far Musah has come and how far he has left to go.